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Swansea recreation director reports program growth, sponsors and expanded summer camp capacity
Summary
Recreation staff reported higher participation across youth programs, growing sponsor support, expanded camp slots and operational challenges including space limits and facilities upgrades.
Recreation staff reported sizable participation increases across several youth programs, new business sponsorships and plans to expand summer camp capacity, while flagging facility and staffing constraints.
Ashley, the recreation staff member who presented the update, told the board the basketball program grew from 77 participants last year to 109 this year and said registration growth is straining available indoor space. “We just don't have the space to meet the demand,” Ashley said, describing scheduling conflicts with Cutler Elementary School and other users of the same gym space.
Ashley reviewed sponsorships secured this year for specific programs (skills clinics, Hotshots, league teams and jamborees) and said sponsors receive web and social recognition and thank-you notes. Sponsors named in the meeting included L and O Property Development, Reinvent Behavioral Consulting, RRS Construction LLC, MJR Painting, Monadnock Auto Glass, Read to Me Literary Arts, Bastoni's Fencing, Pilgrim Pines and GDS Landmark.
On camps, Ashley said the department is taking 80 campers per week this year (ten more than last year) and reported 24 full-season registrations so far (down slightly from last year’s full-season number of 27). The early-bird discounted full-season rate for Swansea residents is $800 for eight weeks (about $100 per week); weekly resident and nonresident rates are $125 and $175, respectively. Ashley said early-bird registration will close in May and weekly rates will increase by $25 after that date.
Ashley also reviewed other seasonal events and programs (school-out programming, Snow Fest, Wilson Pond ice-fishing derby, Easter egg hunt, a growing kickball program, and a town-wide yard sale), noting some events rely on partner organizations (Boy Scouts, Cutler and Keene partnerships) and on donated materials and volunteer coaches. She asked for feedback on a proposed corporate-sponsorship brochure intended to broaden local business support.
Board members thanked Ashley for the report and asked staff to coordinate facility use, rental agreements and future grant opportunities to address long-term space and facility needs. Ashley said some facility upgrades (bathrooms and ventilation) have been made recently, but added that major building renovations such as air conditioning remain a longer-term prospect.
